Disclaimer: Don't own any of the characters from Mutant X.

Author's Note: I think I know where I'm going with this now. Have a little seed of an idea, no idea whether it'll work out, but I'll give it a try anyway. Here goes!

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Chapter 8

Adam woke up with a start. He had reluctantly left Brennan in the lab, knowing that the alarms would wake him up if his condition altered in any way. He hadn't realised that he was so desperately in need of sleep. The sunlight was streaming in through the partially open curtains, and the sounds of life were filtering into his room from the kitchen.

He jumped out of bed guiltily. He was always the first person up in the mornings, especially when one of his kids needed him. He threw on some clothes hastily and made his way to see Brennan. As he passed the kitchen, Jesse called out to him.

"Hey Adam, you just got up?" he asked incredulously. Adam paused for a second as he saw Jesse poke his head out of the door.

"Yeah, don't know what got into me," he grinned, trying to cover up his embarrassment as he hurried onwards to the lab.

As he brought up Brennan's vital signs, checking on the night's events, he let out a sigh. It was extremely disconcerting that he still didn't know what was causing Brennan's coma, and hadn't as yet found anything he could do to help.

He sat down purposefully in front of his equipment. * Today, * he decided, * I'm going to find the answer. * The answer to what, he still wasn't sure, but it was as good a place to start as any.

His attention was momentarily distracted by a figure on the doorway. As he turned, Emma walked up to him with a mug of coffee.

"Morning, Adam," she said, somewhat shyly.

"Morning," he answered her, trying to bury his feelings for her under the embarrassment he felt for being caught in bed late into the morning. She hovered uncertainly.

"Adam," she began timidly. Adam wrinkled his forehead questioningly at her silence.

"Is there a problem?" he started, after a while. "Did the feral scratch anyone else? Have there been any more murders?" She shook her head with a small smile.

"Coffee," she stated, holding out the mug as if it were a trophy. "Thought you could use one if you're going to be working all day." He took it with a smile. She was always so thoughtful with everyone.

"Thanks Emma." He watched her leave the lab with a heavy heart. He was never going to be able to pluck up the courage to tell her how he felt. There were too many factors working against the possibility of a relationship. He sighed heavily again as he pushed her out of his mind and settled down for a day of hard work.

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Rhian walked into the small building which housed the estate agent's she'd had the good fortune to find. It was better than the last few jobs she'd found, even if she wasn't going to be able to keep it for long. As she opened the door, the two girls already behind their desks raised their heads in friendly acknowledgement.

"Hi Rhian," Sally called. "How was your weekend?"

"We heard you were sick, you feeling better now?" Liz asked sympathetically.

"I'm much better now, thanks guys," she answered brightly as she sat at her desk and switched on her computer. "Uneventful weekend, as usual," she joked.

"Girl, you are going to have to come out with us then," Liz decided. "Especially as you haven't got a man."

"Oh, we are going to have sooo much fun hooking you up!" Sally added.

"I'm not sure," Rhian said worriedly. Although the transformation urge was irresistible during the full moon, she was capable of transforming at will at any time, and usually, she was unable to control it. The last thing she wanted was for the animal to come out as it did when she got angry or sensed blood nearby.

"Nope, not gonna take no for an answer," stated Liz emphatically. "You are coming out with us, say, Friday?" she asked Sally.

"Friday sounds good. You don't have any plans, do you Rhian?" Sally asked. Rhian shook her head resignedly. She liked these girls. How often could she say no to them and still remain friends?

"Friday it is then," she replied, trying to inject an element of enthusiasm into her voice. She just prayed that the evening would go without a hitch.

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It was already beginning to get dark, and Adam had not moved from his position behind his workspace. He was beginning to get somewhere with his research, and he didn't want to stop. By extrapolating the information he already had on ferals, and working with the DNA sample that Brennan had collected for him, he could deduce how it had come to be that the feral they surprised was fully transformed into a wolf.

Obviously, the wolf lunar instinct was encoded deep in the woman's DNA, and this brought out her feral side during full moon. It was then possible that the feral side would also be exposed during times of high emotion. Like Shalimar, it would probably be revealed when she was angry or upset. Unlike Shalimar, however, the feral would become a full-grown wolf at these times.

* Furthermore, * he thought to himself, * if she is transforming regularly according to the lunar cycle, she probably doesn't have much control over it. It's also likely she doesn't even kill cold-bloodedly - simply in order to satisfy her hunger and possibly if she were attacked or provoked. * He paused as he turned his thoughts over in his mind. * If I'm right, the killings should have stopped now. Until next month. She needs our help before she transforms again. With some training she could control it and not have to kill, but we have to get to her before the next full moon. *

"Adam," came Brennan's sleepy voice from behind him.

"Brennan, you're awake. How do you feel?" he asked as he approached the bed. Brennan stretched and flexed, trying out his stiff body.

"A little sore, but nothing I can't handle," he replied. "What was that all about? Was that animal what we were looking for?" Adam nodded and proceeded to tell him everything they had found out.

"Wow," was Brennan's retort. "Didn't think it was possible to get someone more cranky and violent than Shalimar when she's in a mood."

"Don't let Shalimar hear you say that," Adam smiled.

"Too late, my friends. Shalimar has heard every word," Shal grinned from the door. "Count yourself lucky Bren. If you hadn't just woken up from a coma, I'd kick your ass into next week."

"And if I'd woken up a werewolf, you'd be a smudge on the floor," he replied cheekily.

"I can see you're feeling much better," Adam broke in, "but you have to rest now, Brennan."

"Rest? No way," he replied vehemently. "You've gotta be joking, Adam. I've been resting for ages. I feel like working this stiffness out of my muscles now."

Adam sighed as he lost yet another battle of wills to the elemental. "Just don't go too hard on yourself, all right Brennan?" he yelled at the retreating back.

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Emma busied herself in the kitchen. She now knew that Adam felt for her what she felt for him, all she had to do was confront him and tell him her own feelings. How to do it though? She didn't want him to think that she had read him without permission, so she'd have to make it perfectly obvious from the start.

She poured the black coffee into Adam's favourite mug, and topped up her own. * Well, this is as good a reason as any, * she thought to herself. * He's been working all day and he'll welcome another coffee. *

She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears as she made her way to the lab. The ripples diverged on the surface of the coffee in the mugs as her hands trembled almost imperceptively.

As she hovered in the doorway, she saw his head bent over his work. She longed to brush the dark curls away from his face and soothe his worries. Up until now, she hadn't been able to do so without giving away the true nature of her feelings.

"Adam," she called out apprehensively. Immediately, he spun round to acknowledge her. "I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"Not at all, Emma. In any case, a coffee-bearer is always welcome," he replied with a smile. She approached him and handed over the coffee. She sat on the edge of the desk, avoiding his eyes, not knowing how to explain what she needed to tell him.

"Is something the matter, Emma?" he asked her, concern evident in his voice.

"I have to speak to you, Adam," she began hesitantly. His demeanour instantly changed. She looked up at him as waves of guilt and panic came pouring out of him. "Adam, I have to tell you something."

"What about?" he managed to stutter.

"Last night," she began, wondering how it was going to turn out. "Last night when you were talking to Brennan . . ."

"Emma, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have put you in this situation," he answered quickly as he got up out of the chair. * It's almost as if he's rehearsed the speech, * she thought.

"Adam, hear me out," she insisted, determined to make her point, and make him listen. "I heard you talking to Brennan last night. To be honest, I can't say it didn't stun me . . ." She watched him as he hung his head, not wanting to hear what she was going to say next. "But it was a pleasant surprise," she finished softly. "I've been having those same feelings too." Still he didn't raise his head.

"I know Emma, I guessed you felt that way for Brennan since I saw you sit at his bedside the whole night," he said forlornly, turning away from her. Emma raised her hand and touched his cheek.

"Adam, I love you, not Brennan," she stated softly. Adam turned slowly to look into her eyes.

"Why . . ." he asked hesitantly. Then he shook his head, as if he had come to his senses. "Emma, you only think you feel that way for me. It's only normal for a young woman to think she has feelings for an older man. It happens all the time with male teachers."

"Adam, why do you have to be so stubborn?" she said, the frustration evident in her voice. "I'm a telempath, I know what my own feelings mean, and I know what they're not." Adam seemed taken aback at her vehemence. "They are not normal feelings for a father figure," she whispered to him.

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time now, but I couldn't pluck up the courage," he admitted. "I always thought you and the others would think it was inappropriate. Emma, have you thought this through? I am old enough to be your father after all."

"Don't worry Adam. I won't run off with your money," she smiled. He grinned at the absurd image of Emma as a gold digger. "I only want to be with you. Please don't make any more excuses to try and keep us apart," she asked, reaching for his hand. He came closer to her, risking the inevitable reactions he always felt when she was close. His heart pounded in his ears as she pulled him in closer. He leaned towards her hesitantly and their mouths met for the long-awaited kiss. Emma could feel both herself and Adam getting lost in the moment as the kiss grew more passionate, a swirl of emotions she had never sensed in another person so close to her before.

Finally, they broke apart, flushing from the intensity of their emotions.

"I love you," he whispered as he stroked her face, relieved that he could finally admit it to her.

"How do you think the others would take this news?" she asked him.

"Maybe it would be a good idea to keep this to ourselves for the moment," he agreed.

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Let me know what you think so far. I need the feedback real bad, I tell you! I'm thinking of registering with Feedback Addicts Anonymous. In the meantime, I'll be watching you, so get reviewing unless you want me bugging you some more!